Fiction

Being a fan of the movie Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (see my review), I was eager to see what new developments Quentin Tarantino included in the novelization. 

The book and movie follow the exploits of actor Rick Dalton has he tries to transition a shifting Hollywood landscape as the 60s segue into the 70s.  Along the ride with him is his best friend and stuntman, Cliff Booth.  Both the movie and the book chronicle Rick interacting with other Hollywood personalities as he films a TV pilot and considers a career shift. 

Those who’ve seen the movie know Tarantino added a lot of flavor from that time period in the form of radio stations, restaurants, TV program and much more.   The novelization continues that flavoring and then some.  It goes further into Rick and Cliff’s backgrounds, which really doesn’t add to the overall narrative but does paint a better picture of the time period and the overall work.   In the movie, Rick is filming a pilot called Lancer.  Tarantino writes in heavy detail about the premise that even I, who was never interested in Westerns, became intrigued. 

There will be several pages on just Cliff’s opinions on Kurosawa and foreign films or Rick’s relationships with cast and crew.  None of this furthers the immediate story, but it adds a realistic atmosphere that is great to visit.  There are scenes not in the movie and vice versa.  Even the endings are different.

The novel Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood should be seen as a way to get more out of the movie or for those readers interested in its characters and details.  It works fine as a standalone, but readers looking for a surefire page turner may want to find something else.

~ Mark

In the mood for “higher literature,” I read The Nickel Boys because it was a recent winner of the Pulitzer.  In my mind, such winning entries are about social issues and the power of human perseverance, which turned out to be the case.

The Nickel Boys revolves around the Nickel reformatory school for boys, a fictional place based on an actual facility in Marianna, Florida.  Whitehead takes the reader through the routines and people of Nickel mostly through the eyes of Elwood, a young Black man during the Civil Rights era.  The language is rich with subtle techniques to indicate the horrors, some hidden, others not so much.  Whitehead has a textured and nuanced voice kept me engaged even when I felt a bit bored by the content.  Between the language and 200 page count, the book was a quick read. 

The Nickel Boys offers strong characterization but not as many strong choices for Elwood.  For the most part, he is passive.  Whitehead lets the school become the central character with both its lighter and darker dealings.  The writing can be a bit too subtle at times, and I occasionally had to reread a few passages to make sure I understood what was happening.  There’s also a couple of time jumps that took me a couple of pages to get re-orientated. 

I understand why this won the Pulitzer.  It will find a strong audience with those interested in the current Black Lives Matter or social issues in general.  It’s a great study in language for would-be writers.  If you liked To Kill a Mockingbird then put this on your to-read list.

~ Mark

The main character is a female septuagenarian residing in a South Carolina retirement village when a young male associated with the neighbor next door gets murdered. Flash back in time to a young woman growing up in small town America where male sports coaches who bring home trophies can do no wrong. There is a violent assault and someone ends up dead.  

The author did a good job of causing me to care about certain characters and to want to make   connections between the two disparate situations. However, about two thirds of the way through, the story got convoluted and clunky.  It relied on unlikely plot points that were just believable enough to move the story forward. Having not lived in a retirement village, I feel like I missed out on the humor of the story and the nuances that other readers in a different stage of life than me might pick up.  

This was one of my first forays into the mystery genre. It was okay.  I’d give it a 3.25 out of 5 stars. Readers who like this story might try Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver for its rich look at American social culture during different eras

~ Kristen

Lyla, a bi-racial sophomore from a working class family, gets drunk at the party of a popular rich white guy (Finch) and his friends. A picture of Lyla, half-naked and passed out gets sent around to the students and parents of their prep school, causing  everyone to wonder how far things went. Finch’s parents try various ways of coping with the situation (some immoral) and their concern for how it will impact Finch’s future. Their reactions address the questions: does character matter? Do the ends justify the means?

This book highlights how entitlement and prejudices can cause individuals and groups to be complicit in allowing and perpetuating awful outcomes and excuses for inappropriate behavior. When blame shifting starts happening, it makes me wonder who to believe and why? How do stereotypes affect the administration of justice? At one point, Finch blames his ex-girlfriend, Polly, for taking the picture. Perhaps my favorite part of the story is when Lyla is faced with the dilemma of helping Polly in Polly’s own moment of weakness, even after she verbally assaulted Lyla. It’s up to Lyla to decide whether or not she will perpetuate a cycle of victimization and judgement or be a true friend.  

I like this book because it gave me the message that everyone is responsible.  Each person has a choice in how they handle the circumstances in their lives. It challenges the characters to put the wellbeing of others before themselves. Giffin does this without being heavy handed. However, the ending felt contrived and disconnected from the rest of the plot, albeit hopeful. 

I would give All We Ever Wanted a 3.75 out of 5 stars. If it sounds interesting, then give it a try!  

~ Kristen

We came across this book in our collection.  Inside was an anonymous written critique, and we decided to share it with you.

"This is a terrible book.  No stars.  Poorly written, no character development, boring.  Needs editing.  Overused expressions.  Obviously a very inexperienced writer.  I would not recommend this book."  

I don’t read many Danielle Steel books these days.  No offense to die hard fans, but somehow over the last decade or so, Steel's stories have become somewhat predictable.  The similarities of main characters between books along with a continuous reinforcement of minor details has led me to conclude that her later works deviate largely from those that my grandmother read and passed on to me in the early 1990s.

I was therefore pleasantly shocked as I soared through Steel's 2018 release The Good Fight. Set primarily in New York City, the story commences in 1942 when main character Meredith McKenzie is six years old.  Meredith is practically born with an urge to fight for injustice.  This passion is nurtured by her surprisingly open-minded Supreme Court Justice grandfather who demonstrates the importance of fighting ‘the good fight.’ 

What a reading experience it was to follow Meredith’s perseverance over several decades in taking action for causes in which she believes.  Early on, it is clear that she will do whatever it takes for justice for the oppressed despite strong pushback from key figures such as her ultra conservative father.  One of her first battles is pursuing a law degree during a time when women were expected to do no more in life than get married and have children .

Meredith’s multifaceted character is shown as she faces different situations and remains undeterred. As a white person, she is told repeatedly that desegregation is ‘not her fight’ but she plows forward despite these warnings. Her reactions to other hot topics such as women's rights and the Vietnam War also display new lines of thought that were emerging during these periods.

Knowing beforehand how these historical events unravel keeps the reader turning the pages in an eagerness to discover their effect on Meredith and the other characters.  In fact, the engaging story of Meredith’s lifelong friend Claudia is ripe for a sequel.  Unfortunately however, Steel is not known for writing any type of series.

Overall, this was an incredible read.  My grandmother, who passed away 16 years ago this week, was one of Danielle Steel's most avid readers. I think she would have thoroughly enjoyed reading The Good Fight.

-Gina 

I generally stay away from short story collections because I have been burned one too many times by absolutely terrible books (I’m looking at you The Dark Dark.) But I am honestly so happy that I picked up A Cathedral of Myth and Bone by Kat Howard. Every story in it was beautiful and unique. I finished the book thinking that maybe I could learn to fall in love again...with another collection of short stories! It is also pretty cool that Kat Howard lives and writes in New Hampshire. 

Since this review would be way too long if I tried to cover every story, I decided to pick my favorite one with “Painted Birds and Shivered Bones.” It is about an artist named Maeve who lives and works in New York. She is very successful but cannot attend her own gallery openings due to crippling social anxiety. Maeve finds artistic inspiration by exploring the city. One day she walks to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine where she comes across a naked man who suddenly turns into a beautiful white bird. This encounter inspires her next series of paintings, which become wildly successful. The reader soon learns that the man is named Sweeney and that hundreds of years ago he lived in Ireland where he insulted a wizard. The wizard inflicted a curse upon Sweeney that caused him to shift back and forth between being a bird and a man. Sweeney has no control over this shifting. Eventually, Maeve and Sweeney’s paths meet, and they become romantically involved. He commissions her to create a painting of him hoping that the magic of her art might be able to break him free of his curse. I’m not going to tell you how it ends, but it is a great story and well worth reading! 

This collection of stories will definitely appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. Beautiful and full of magic, Howard’s writing is a delight. She succeeds at crafting perfectly executed stories of magical realism that bring myths back to life. 

~Becca

Sword of Destiny is book 0.75 in the high fantasy Witcher series written by Andrjez Sapkowski. While The Blood of Elves is technically the first full-length book in the series, I would highly suggest reading The Last Wish and The Sword of Destiny first. Set before the events of the first book, they are collections of stories that introduce the reader to the basics of what a witcher is and what they do. 

Geralt of Rivia is the main character of the series. He is a witcher, a person who wanders the land looking for people to hire him to kill monsters. Witchers are not born; they are made through an arduous training process that many do not survive. It is this training process, as well as magic powers and a mysterious elixir, that makes Geralt uniquely qualified to take on such difficult tasks. He is a ruthless and highly skilled killer. However, due to their extreme physical differences as well as the aura of mystery surrounding the role of witchers, many people are prejudiced against them. Geralt is rarely welcomed wherever he goes and is often treated with extreme prejudice and fear. 

I loved Sword of Destiny because it shows a whole other side to Geralt. Yes, he is a ruthless killer of monsters. Yes, he is something “other” and is technically a mutant. But contrary to what people believe he has a heart and feelings. He cares about others and has a code of ethics that he follows. There are three people in the world that Geralt cares for the most: the womanizing troubadour Dandelion, the beautiful and complicated sorceress Yennefer, and the mysterious child princess Cirri, who just might be Geralt’s destiny. All of these characters are brought to life in a masterful way in The Sword of Destiny. Another aspect of this collection of short stories that I loved was the theme of destiny and whether it is something that can ever truly be avoided. Geralt tries to run away from destiny, but sometimes destiny is something that will appear whether you like it or not. If you enjoy high fantasy with lots of politics such as those found in Game of Thrones but also love the presence of magical creatures and world building such as those found in Lord of the Rings then this is the series for you!

~Becca

There is controversy surrounding the similar content of two books about Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky.  Therefore, I thought it would be easy to compare them.  There are a lot of similar aspects to them both, yet they are still quite different.  I decided to first share how they are similar then provide a description and review of each book in order of release dates.  

Both are historical fiction based on true events. Under the umbrella of one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs during The Great Depression, the Works Projects Administration [WPA] had jobs mostly for men.  Around 1935, the WPA realized that they needed more jobs geared towards women. Thus, the Pack Horse Library Initiative was created to bring books to low socioeconomic people who lived in the rugged countryside of the Appalachian mountains. 

The librarians were mostly single or widowed women who traveled by themselves through all kinds of backwoods terrain, even in hellacious wintery weather.  They felt a responsibility to bring the books to and check on the people who lived far away from society, knowing that they may be their only contact to the rest of the community.  The librarians had a small selection of materials: old books, magazines and newspapers donated by larger city libraries and organizations such as The Boy Scouts.  They learned how to repair books and magazines, plus create new “magazines” by piecing together ones damaged beyond repair or combining old family recipes or remedies for ailments that were passed on to them to share with others.  

Both books reveal social issues rampant in the 1930s, such as racism, classism, poverty, lack of educational opportunities and the expected role of married women in society.   Additionally, they examine the health and safety issues with working in a coal mine, the desire for the workers to create a union, and the strategies, some violent, that mine owners used to dissuade workers and keep them in line.  Addtionaly, they both have possible trigger subjects of domestic violence, physical and sexual assault, and deal with these topics well.

~ Michele

In addition to the Pack Horse Library, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson introduces us to the “Blue People of Kentucky.”  Yes, they are real. 

Cussie, or Bluet, as she was nicknamed for a blue flower by the doctor who was there for her birth, is the protagonist, and a Blue.  he was not considered  “white”, therefore faced similar prejudices of people of color during the 1930s.  Bluet’s  mom passed away a few years earlier and her father knows he’s ill from working in the coal mines.  He wants to make sure she’s taken care of before he passes away.   Nevertheless, Bluet is determined to take care of herself, so she takes the steps to be accepted as a Pack Horse Librarian.  We follow Bluet on her sometimes perilous journeys through the forests and up mountain sides, discover why she’s a Blue, meet the people of the Appalachian Mountains, celebrate their accomplishments - such as learning to read - and experience the obstacles that they all must face at one time or another. 

The first few chapters were intense, and after that I had to continue reading to find out more about Bluet, and the other people she befriended, sometimes grudgingly on their part.  It was inspiring to see her gumption and that she did have support from some members of the community. 

I highly recommend this book to people who like to read historical fiction, different regions and cultures within the US, learn about different medical issues, and especially for book groups.  Even though The Giver of the Stars is very similar to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, this book has a more authentic feel of the Appalachian people of Kentucky and is my favorite of the two.

Jojo Moyes, author of The Giver of the Stars, has provided two narrators for her story.  Alice is a well-bred English woman who meets Bennett, her future husband, when he is touring England with his father, who she later learns is the owner of the local coal mine.  Even though all three live together in the nicest house in town, Alice is unprepared for life in Kentucky and the Pack Horse Librarian job provides her with an opportunity to get out of the house and give back to the community.  The second narrator is Margery, who is part of the family that has been in a long-standing feud with another mountain family.  Margery is a self-sufficient woman who wants little to do with her family, prefers to live life by her own rules, and does not follow society’s ideas of a woman’s traditional role such as wearing pants, which was scandalous for that era.  I also like to wear pants, so I instantly liked her.  

Margery is the daily overseer of the local division of the Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky.  She and Alice are joined by three other women, and later a fourth, who help distribute books within their area.  We watch as they form friendships as they share their experiences and difficulties within their jobs and lives in general.  However, The Giver of the Stars is more about romance and was filled with a lot more angst than I am looking for during the stay at home order.  A few times, I had to make myself finish reading it, but I am glad that I did.  It was a decent story, and it will gain attention due to its famous author. However, it was not my favorite of the two books, but was still a good read.  

~ Michele

This week I had Miss Betsey pick which book I should read and she did not disappoint! 

She chose The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child; while it is technically the fourth book in the Jeramy Logan series, it reads like a standalone novel. Even though I have not read the other books in the series, I could still read this one without ever feeling lost.

Professor Jeremy Logan specializes in solving problems of the strange or seemingly supernatural variety. One day he receives a summons from the director of Lux. Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Lux is one of the oldest and most respected think tanks in the country. An unexplainable tragedy has recently occurred at Lux: overcome by erratic behavior, one of Lux’s most distinguished and respected doctors commits suicide in a gruesome manner. On top of that, several staff members have been acting strangely. Logan is called in to solve the mystery of these strange happenings. His investigation of Lux’s grounds turns up a secret room, hidden away for decades. Inside, the room is full of strange machinery and even stranger references to a top-secret experiment called Project Sin. As Logan begins to unlock the riddles of the forgotten room, he unknowingly puts himself and those around him in terrible danger. 

I really enjoyed the setting of this novel. Lux is located on a sprawling mansion compound in Portland, Rhode Island. The mansion used to belong to an eccentric millionaire, and still retains its grandeur and quirkiness. Child does a really great job making this place seem real and I loved uncovering the mansion’s secrets along with Logan. This is a very intelligently written mystery. Since this is a think tank full of some of the most intelligent people in the nation, many of the characters specialize in extremely complex fields. Child does a good job at focusing a bit on these fields without getting lost in jargon or making it so simple that it feels like he’s writing down to the reader. He makes it accessible and fascinating. I enjoyed the mystery and style of the story and will be picking up the other three books in the series!

~Becca

The year is 1929, and Maisie Dobbs is hanging her shingle up to advertise herself as a private detective in England, a field not normally available to women during that era.  As we travel with her on her first case, we learn how spunky, intelligent, and unusual Maisie Dobbs is.  The case is for a man who believes his wife has been unfaithful.  However, quickly Maisie realizes that the case is not as clear cut as it may seem. 

While investigating, Maisie stumbles across an oddity that she will investigate later.   I would tell you, but I don’t want to give away any key points,  since it is better for them to unravel naturally.  Let’s just say that there is a time in everyone’s life where we have to face things we’d rather forget.

This series has come highly recommended from many RML patrons therefore, I decided to see why it is so popular.  In this first book of the series, we learn about Maisie’s childhood, her time spent as a servant in an aristocratic home, and other events in her life, including meeting her mentor which led Maisie to become a detective.  This was a great first book that provided the background foundation for future Maisie stories.  Jacqueline Winspear created a very natural flow of how we find out about Maisie and the other characters.  I highly recommend this combination of historical fiction and mystery series.

There are currently 15 fictional books and one non-fiction book called, “What Would Maisie Do?”  I look forward to reading the next adventure for Maisie and her friends. 

~ Michele

Have you worked in an office where there was a not-so-secret “secret” about a co-worker who used his relationship with women or harassed them to get what he wanted, yet no one said or did anything about it? Well, in this book the women decide to do something. 

Ardie, Grace, Rosalita, and Sloane work together at a large corporation called Truviv, Inc.  They all have had a different relationship with a male co-worker, Ames, some perfectly professional, some not.  A new employee, Katherine, has been hired and the women notice that Ames has taken a “special interest” in her. Sloane has personally missed out on a few promotions due to a secret past relationship with Ames, and she is concerned that history may repeat itself, especially when they find out that Ames is the top choice to take over as CEO of the company. They are afraid of what will happen to them and the other women in the company if Ames is voted in as CEO. The women decide that they have had enough. However, taking a stand doesn’t go as expected, and everyone’s (well, almost everyone’s) world gets turned upside down.

Chandler Baker wonderfully weaves the current events of the story with flashbacks that construct a suspenseful story that keeps readers on their toes and guessing to the end. It is about women and what they endure to get ahead if they are "allowed," double standards in the workplace, and so much more.  This would make a wonderful book group pick to discuss all the ins and outs of the story.  It also goes well with the #MeToo movement, and group members could compare notes.

~Michele

Cassie Bowden flirts with a man on her flight to Dubai.  She wakes up hungover the next morning with him lying dead next to her.  What happened?  Thus, begins the story of this alcoholic, self-destructive flight attendant as she lies to others yet strives to find the truth for herself.

The Flight Attendant is well-researched—or at least it felt that way.   The life working for an airline and the machinations of Russian government rang true (yes, the murdered man was Russian).  The story delves into the mind of an alcoholic so much I wondered if the author was working out personal demons.  There were enough references for me to feel a bit distracted yet never bored.  A significant amount of the book is spent with Cassie’s moods and thoughts as she maneuvers through the legal implications of her fleeing the scene as well her relationships with her family and the men she meets.   I wasn’t sure how much I sympathized with Cassie though I was interested enough to keep turning pages.   Early on, it becomes apparent that Russian politics play a part, turning a murder mystery into a political thriller.  I’m not really into this genre yet I had no problem when that aspect arose as it did not do so at the expense of the characters, and even then I was interested. 

The ending is a bit quick, but if you read the epilogue it is satisfying though you may have to read between the lines to make sure loose ends had been tied up.   If you want a solid, character-focused thriller then join Cassie for her flights, both in airplanes and in escaping trouble.

~ Mark

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher was terrifying. I was reading it late at night and I had to call my friend to stay on the phone with me while I got out of bed and went downstairs to make a snack. It had me jumping at the slightest tap against my window and skylight, and I would be lying if I said that it did not give me strange dreams.

The story is about a woman named Mouse whose dad asks her to clean out her recently deceased grandmother’s house in rural North Carolina. Mouse decides a break from her life would do her some good and so she and her dog Bongo pack up and head out. Unfortunately, her dad didn’t tell her that her grandmother was a chronic hoarder. The house is a hot mess, right down to the room full of creepy baby dolls. While cleaning out the house, Mouse comes across a journal belonging to her step-grandfather. At first glance it appears to be full of nonsense, with phrases such as “I made faces like the faces on the rocks, and I twisted myself about like the twisted ones, and I lay flat down on the ground like the dead ones.” But what first seemed like nonsense begins to take on a much darker meaning as Mouse learns that something dark and twisted lurks in the woods behind her grandmother’s house. 

I don’t think I will ever forget the scene where there is a deer body cleaved in half, with the skull of another animal attached to it upside down, and bone wind chimes that ring in its chest cavity. Oh, and by the way it WALKS AROUND BY ITSELF. Seriously, this book is terrifying, fast paced, and addicting. I highly recommend it for people who loved to be scared. 

~Becca

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica is a psychological thriller that is soon to be a Netflix movie.

Sadie and Will Foust and their two children, 15 year-old Otto and 6-year-old Tate, have recently moved from Chicago to an island in Maine for a “fresh start” after Will inherits a house upon the death of his sister. The move provides a new environment for the family to cope with issues such as Sadie’s work as an ER doctor, their oldest son being bullied at school, and Sadie’s belief that Will was having an affair, which he adamantly denies. However, the house is not the only “inheritance” they receive. They now also have custody of Imogen, Will’s 16-year-old niece.  On top of all that, within a month or so of them moving to the island, their neighbor is murdered.  Sadie is afraid that her niece may have done it.  Her investigation leads her to places and discoveries she never saw coming.

The issues mentioned above are thoroughly explored throughout this well-written book.  The story is told by different narrators which helps keep it flowing and the reader guessing. There are a few topics that may be triggers for some readers: suicide, child abuse, and infidelity.  This is not my favorite genre, so it is difficult for me to write about this book.  I did have an idea of who was responsible, but I had no idea of the how and why until the end. Overall, I enjoyed the book and think it would be a great book club selection. 

~ Michele

This review is of The Bromance Book Club audiobook, written by Lyssa Kay Adams and narrated by Andrew Eiden. I loved the first line of the book’s description: “The first rule of book club: you don’t talk about book club.” How can you not want to read it after that? 

The book follows Gavin Scott, a major league baseball player who recently learned that his wife has been faking a… certain event in their married life.  As an alpha, macho male, he does not take learning this well. He acts out to the point where his wife Thea kicks him out of the house that they share with their twin toddler daughters.  Gavin’s emotional state goes downhill from there, but luckily he has some good friends and new acquaintances who want to help him and his marriage. Gavin is introduced to eight other influential alpha males in the community who secretly read erotic romance novels to learn ideas that they can adapt to be more romantic and help them become better men for the women they love.

The comedy ensues when Gavin genuinely believes that they are pranking him.  He has a hard time believing that professional athletes, successful businessmen, and political figures of the community read romance novels. They advise him to stay away from his wife for a week or so in order to let things cool down and to give him time to read the book. But of course he doesn’t listen and makes things worse.  Once Gavin hits rock bottom he decides to read the book the men gave him that has a similar story line to his life. Remember though: the book group takes the concepts and ideas within the books and applies them to their own lives. Gavin copies speeches and creates situations word for word. Does Thea find out? Read it to see how it all unfolds!  

This story was enjoyable and provided comic relief in a time when it is very much needed. I wanted to keep reading to see if and how Gavin gets out of the hole he dug for himself.  While there are intimate scenes between Gavin and Thea, they are not too graphic and are easy to skim over. 

~Michele

The Thief of All Light by Bernard Schaffe is the first in the Santero and Rein book series, and is a promising start.  Carrie Santero is the rookie, Rein the veteran.  A serial killer inspired by other killers haunts a rural town and ends up on Santero’s radar.  In order to find this non-traditional murderer, she enlists the help of disgraced ex-cop,Jacob Rein, who is homeless and believes that is what he deserves.

I’m not much of a thriller reader, and the last one I tried I was unimpressed with (Kiss the Girls).  Schaffer’s book was far easier for me to get into though not perfect.  Santero did not strike me as that unique.  Her dialogue felt uninspired, her moves action oriented like a movie.  Her background as a somewhat gothic rebel is touched upon and may play well in upcoming books.   I am not sure if her character is a trope or a cliché.  Jacob Rein is introduced to us through a video interrogation, and from that moment on he had my interest.  His dialogue and mannerisms were consistent and engaging.  The way people reacted to his presence and how he thinks of himself was a natural progression of the tragic event that haunts him.

Schaffer gives more focus to the killer in the beginning than he does later on, making the pace uneven though it truly doesn’t suffer from it.  The story reads well thanks to Schaffer’s succinct and crisp language and constant action, which pushes the story forward.  The Thief of All Light gets a recommendation for readers of thrillers and police procedures, and it provides a rich background for a thriving series.

~ Mark

The River by Peter Heller is so much more than an adventure story of two friends who encounter a wildfire while vacationing in the wilderness.  This is a beautifully written tale of two young men who have to make heart wrenching decisions about how they will resolve life-threatening issues when they disagree on choices involving not only their own survival but also that of total strangers.  The book presents thought-provoking issues presented under the most extreme pressures brought about by a catastrophic wildfire.  The intriguing plot holds the reader's interest while giving food for thought about life and death choices.  I highly recommend this book to lovers of any fiction type because it integrates characteristics of a mystery, a tale of friendship, an adventure story, and a survivalist venture.  It is a story you will never forget.

~ Barbara

I just finished reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter yesterday, and I almost imploded when I realized the second book was checked out. I need it in my life ASAP!  I made the mistake of watching the show before reading the book, so the whole time I was reading it I was hearing actor Michael C. Hall’s voice inside my head like my own Dark Passenger. But honestly, knowing what happened in the show (and when it happened) made reading the book more enjoyable because I could compare and contrast. 

Dexter is a fun show and Darkly Dreaming Dexter is an even more fun read. Miami PD blood spatter specialist by day, and serial killer by night, Dexter Morgan is unique in that he knows he’s a monster but hey, at least he’s a monster with a code who only kills people who deserve it. By “deserve it” I’m not talking that piece of garbage who cut you off on the highway or that one Uber driver who gave you a bad rating. Dexter only kills other serial killers/rapists/child murderers who he has vetted and is 100% sure of their guilt. 

Dexter manages to be simultaneously hilarious and intriguing. His internal monologue makes the reader laugh and cringe at the same time.  For example: “I had to be neat and presentable; getting yelled at by a furious woman should be treated as a semiformal occasion” and “This killer had touched the heart of what my killing was about. In the way he worked, of course, and not in his selection of victims. He had to be stopped, certainly, no question. Those poor hookers.” 

The biggest difference between the book and the TV series was how Dexter’s Dark Passenger was handled and conveyed. In the show, Dexter comes to refer to his need to kill as his Dark Passenger and that’s pretty much all they do with it. But in the book things get way more interesting. His Dark Passenger is almost a character: it has a voice, a creepy cackle, an evil presence, and it guides Dexter to places he and it needs to be. In fact, it is characterized so much so that when Dexter is about to kill someone he refers to himself as “we.” 

I’ll end  with a passage that shows how insidious and present Dexter’s Dark Passenger really is: “I stood motionless there on the ice, closed my eyes and listened to what my ancient friend had to say. I heard him chuckle and mutter soft and terrible things in one ear, while the other ear let me know that Deborah had told Steban to come in and turn on the lights. Which moments later he did, as the small off-voice whisper rose in a sudden crescendo of rattling jolly humor and good-natured horror.”    

~ Becca

Who would you toast if it were the last night of your life?  

This is the question explored by Maurice Hannigan, the main character of Anne Griffin’s early 2019 debut novel When All Is Said.  Piece by piece, we discover the essence of Maurice’s lifetime through his descriptions of five influential people.  

Although Maurice’s flaws center heavily on his lack of connection with others, he is likeable and knows he is not perfect.  His reservations become more understandable as the reader learns about those who have affected him.

Maurice comes alive through his thoughts, and while the book is serious in tone, there are frequent humorous asides. Many comments uttered under his breath bring a chuckle and further display his take on the world.   Griffin also simultaneously weaves together different time periods without causing confusion.  

So the real question here is…what’s next? Can Maurice move forward, and is he willing to make the changes that would be necessary for that move? 

Griffin’s plot line held my interest.  Understanding Maurice’s ultimate goal of ending his life influences one’s perception of different interactions throughout the novel. During a book discussion group, some points made were that a particular subplot was not entirely necessary and that additional info could have been provided on certain themes such as dyslexia.  However, this did not detract from the novel’s main point and ultimate conclusion.  For a debut novel, Griffin has presented a moving and believable story.  I look forward to her second novel currently in progress. 

~ Gina  

H.P. Lovecraft is an influence on many horror writers.  "At the Mountains of Madness," written in the early 20th century and one of his longer works, is about an Antarctic expedition that discovers more than ice in the southern wasteland.   

Does Lovecraft work for modern readers?  

It depends if you are okay with thicker prose.  As with most of Lovecraft’s work, the story is told in the first person with no dialogue.  This can prove weighty for modern readers looking for a page turner.  The prose is infused with details that slow the pace but also paint a more vivid picture enhancing the journal-entry style of narrative.  It takes a bit to get to the horror elements, which start out in pieces, but once it gets going Lovecraft’s imagination takes hold.   It you enjoy his shorter stories give this a try.  If you’re new to Lovecraft you may be better off starting with one of his shorter works or take the plunge and delve into a detailed world of cosmic horror.  

~ Mark